In need of a SOC 2 audit or are seeking to learn all about the SOC 2 audit process? Then consider NDNB, California’s leading provider of high-quality, fixed-fee audit services. NDNB also offers comprehensive training resources for all aspects of the AICPA System and Organization Control (SOC) framework, which consists of SSAE 18 SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3 reporting. Learn more about NDNB’s SOC 2 audit services today at socreports.com, or call Christopher G. Nickell, CPA, at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706 (or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to learn about NDNB’s fixed-fee SOC 2 audit engagements.

California’s Leading Provider of SOC 2 Audits – Fixed Fees

As California’s leading provider of high-quality, fixed-fee SOC 2 audits, NDNB can help your organization become compliant quickly, comprehensively, and in a cost-effective manner. The SOC 2 audit process doesn’t have to be an extremely laborious, time-consuming and expensive proposition – not all – especially when utilizing the services of a proven and trusted CPA firm such as NDNB. From offering initial SOC 2 readiness assessments to comprehensive documentation writing services – and more – NDNB is ready to get you compliant, quickly and cost-effectively.

5 Things to Know About SOC 2 Audits for California Service Organizations

Audits “can” be expensive, time-consuming and challenging – but they don’t have to be – so long as you have a strong understanding of all the important elements regarding the AICPA SOC 2 framework. Knowing where to start, what the roadmap is, and having milestones that are achievable throughout the process is what makes a successful SOC 2 audit.

NDNB has performed hundreds of SOC 2 audits over the years in California – all throughout SoCal, Orange County, Los Angles, the Bay Area/San Francisco – and along the way we’ve learned some great lessons when it comes to efficiency, scale, and being able to complete an assessment on time and within budget.

Here’s five important things your business needs to know about SOC 2 audits:

1. Scope Drives the Audit: Yes, it does, and for that very reason, it’s highly important to begin any SOC 2 engagement with a comprehensive scoping & readiness assessment. No, it’s not just another added cost to the audit – not at all – it’s an incredibly useful, proactive, and highly critical step for helping determine audit scope, what gaps and deficiencies exist within one’s control environment, what steps can be taken to remediate such issues, and more.
For California service organizations new to SOC 2 reporting, a scoping & readiness assessment is highly essential, no question about it. Want to know what information systems are included in the scope of the audit, what personnel are to be involved, what business processes are to be assessed – and more – then you need to perform a SOC 2 scoping & readiness assessment.

2. Documentation is Critical: Developing information security policies and procedures is one of the most demanding and time-consuming aspect of becoming SOC 2 compliant – it truly is. From access control to change management, incident response – and more – policies and procedures have to be developed, but do you have the time for such endeavors? Probably not, so let the SOC 2 compliance experts at NDNB assist, as we offer policy writing services that can save you literally dozens of hours. When it comes to saving time and money and completing a SOC 2 audit within budget an on time, it all starts by contacting California’s regulatory compliance experts today by speaking with Christopher Nickell, CPA, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or calling him directly at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706.

3. Technical Remediation is Essential: Along with developing essential policies and procedures, California service organizations may very well have to engage in meaningful technical remediation. From hardening servers to re-configuring networks, strengthening password parameters – and more – technical remediation is often a must. NDNB can assist in such measures, as we offer industry leading provisioning and hardening checklists, forms, and other essential user guides for many of today’s top security products, operating systems, and applications.

4. Continuous Monitoring is a Must: Becoming SOC 2 compliant is a big step in the right direction, and also a big achievement, so congratulations. Just keep in mind that “staying” compliant is often more time-consuming, challenging, and more important. NDNB can assist with your annual ongoing compliance requirements by providing what’s called “continuous monitoring” services and solutions.

Specifically, as a service organization, you need to monitor, assess, and make changes to your control environment as needed for ensuring it continues to operate as designed. This means a constant commitment from a specialized individual who can do just that. But who has the time and resources for performing such continuous monitoring initiatives? We do, that’s right, and we help our clients all across North America – and the world – with monitoring of their controls. NDNB can save your organization hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars with continuous monitoring measures, so contact Christopher Nickell, CPA, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or calling him directly at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706.

5. Understand What Auditors Want for Evidence: Audit evidence is one of the more challenging topics when it comes to SOC 2 compliance, so it’s important to understand exactly what auditors are looking for. Here’s a list – and a brief description – of the most commonly requested audit evidence items you’ll need to be gathering for your SOC 2 audit:

• Information security policies and procedures
  
  
• Signed memos
  
  
• Screenshots of system settings and system configurations
  
  
• Evidence of operational activities, such as security awareness training, testing of one’s Business Continuity plans, etc.

Remember also that auditing also means physical inspections performed by auditors, so you’ll often be asked to provide tours of physical locations, such as data center, the corporate office, regional offices, warehouses, and other in-scope facilities.

Fixed Fee SOC 2 Audits for California Service Organizations

If you’re a service organization in need of a proven and trusted regulatory compliance firm to help charter the rough waters of SOC 2 compliance – along with SOC 1 SSAE 18 and SOC 3 compliance – then talk to the experts today at NDNB, North America’s leading provider of Service Organization Control (SOC) compliance reporting. From SOC 1, SOC 2, and SOC 3 reporting, to many other professional services, NDNB can get you where you need to be!

California’s Experts on SOC 2 Audit Scoping

One of the biggest challenges to overcome regarding SOC 2 audits is understanding the scope of the actual assessment. Specifically, (1). What core business processes are to be included within the audit and (2). Which of the five (5) Trust Services Criteria (TSC) are also to be included? It can take some time to answer these questions, but with NDNB you’ll get clear, concise guidance very quickly from our trusted team of experts. Please keep in mind that the TSP’s are a critical component of SOC 2 audits, therefore, you’ll need to learn more about the following five (5) TSP’s.

• Availability: That the system is available for operation and use as committed or agreed.
  
  
• Security: That the system is protected against unauthorized access, both physically and logically.
  
  
• Processing Integrity: That System processing is complete, accurate, timely, and authorized.
  
  
• Confidentiality: That the information held by an organization is securely protected.
  
  
• Privacy: That personal information is protected.

California SOC 2 Audits – Fixed Fee Pricing – Let’s Talk Today

For more than a decade, NDNB has worked long and hard in developing high-quality, industry leading audit processes and procedures for ensuring rapid and comprehensive SOC 2 compliance for California service organizations. It means you can rest assured that your audit process – from beginning to end – will have all the support needed – that’s the NDNB difference and we stand behind it. Learn more about NDNB’s SOC 2 audit process for California service organizations by calling Christopher G. Nickell, CPA, at 1-800-277-5415, ext. 706 (or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) today.